Q Love
by FlamingPhoenix202
Summary: Jean-luc and Beverly are sent to a 1700s Victorian castle by the god-like diety known as Q and must take on the role of a widdowed Queen and a french General. But what does Q want this time? P/C. Set after All good things... NOW COMPLETE!
1. The Ballad of Q

**Author's Note:** **Jean-luc, Beverly, Q, Riker, Troi, and anything else _Trek _do not belong to me, i'm just playing with them. They belong to Gene Roddenberry. And I can't speak french very well, so if any words here are wrong, don't blame me.**

-+ c/\כ +-

To most people on the _USS_ _Enterprise-D_, Doctor Beverly Crusher was nothing more than the acting Chief Medical Officer, a compassionate and caring mother to her son Wesley Crusher, and a great author of many wonderful stage plays.

But to one of her best friends and fellow colleague, Captain Jean-luc Picard, she was much more than that. She was one of his closest friends, someone he confided in, someone who could give him sound advice when he needed it, someone who shared sympathy when he was in need of that too. And secretly, someone who he was in love with.

It all started when he was introduced to her by one of his best friends, Jack Crusher. They had just started dating. At first, he was little more than just attracted to her. The beautiful Beverly Cheryl Howard, with her gorgeous orange hair that just fell to her shoulders and her sparkling bright blue eyes, could make any man fall to his knees.

But as time went by, and they got to know each other better, things changed. They all started to spend more time together, such as going on double dates (if he could find one that is), or inviting him for dinner. He found often that he wished that he was the one to be her date, or the one to sit next to her at the dinner table. But he really started to feel something more for her after witnessing the birth of her son. Her and Jack were married by then of course, but he wasn't so sure he wanted to witness something like that just yet. So while he waited outside, Jean-luc stayed with Beverly inside the hospital room. He didn't- or rather, she didn't let go of his hand, squeezing it until his knuckles turned white. He somehow felt a special connection to her then, like he was a part of her. Suddenly simple attraction turned into a passionate love for her that would last many years. But although he loved her, he also felt terribly guilty. He shouldn't have those feelings for a woman who was with his best friend, let alone married to him. It just wasn't right. But his love for her was stronger than his guilt.

Although he had conflicting feelings for her, Jean-luc and Beverly were good friends for many years. While he was acting captain of the _USS Stargazer_, she would often contact him to see how he was doing. Or sometime he would go out of his way to send her a message. Jack was also a member of the ship and was also contacted by Beverly on a regular basis. Their friendship suddenly ended though, when Jack was killed in the destruction of the Stargazer. They stopped spending time with each other, and she never returned his calls. Originally Jean-luc thought that it was because she had the idea that he killed her husband. Jack and another crew member were trapped, and he could only save one of them as the door to the room they were in had to be opened manually and could only stay open for a short time. He chose the other man as he was in a less dangerous spot and was closer to the exit, leaving Jack to die. But Beverly constantly assured him that she didn't think that.

He thought that because she wouldn't speak or see him meant that their friendship was lost forever. That he would never see her again, and spend the rest of his life pining away for her company. But then he saw her on the bridge of the Enterprise, which he was assigned to command. He hadn't often seen her in a Starfleet uniform before then, and _damn_ did she look good in it. She was going to be his new _CMO_, and he felt slightly proud of her for reaching to such a rank over the years. Though he also was excited to have her on his ship, he was also afraid. How would he deal with his feelings while she was there?

As it turned out, things went on better than he expected. After she and her son were settled in, Beverly and Jean-luc began their intimate friendship again. They had breakfasts and dinners together, had drinks in Ten Forward, and even spent time on the Holodeck. For a moment he thought that maybe there was hope for them. But she told him otherwise.

Like two months ago.

They were kidnapped by rebel forces on a planet, and had to run around like fugitives while their minds were connected by little devices in the back of their necks. They could hear each other's thoughts, and one night Beverly found him out. He had to write his heart out, in one answer after another. From start to end, he had to explain how he felt about her. It felt good somehow, letting all these things he wanted to tell her out. And she seemed to accept it. But when they returned to the Enterprise and he asked her if they wanted to explore the feelings they felt for each other, she politely turned him down. He, of course, was disappointed. But as long as she was happy, he wasn't concerned for his own wants. Beverly Crusher would always be there. In his dreams, in his mind, in his heart.

"_...or maybe we should be afraid."_

-+ c/\כ +-

"That was a wonderful breakfast, Jean-luc." Beverly complimented, licking the last of the Croissant crumbs off of her plate. "Wonderfully replicated too."

"Oh, I didn't replicate them." Jean-luc answered. He willingly cleaned up the dishes and placed them in the replicator for disposal.

"No wonder they taste so good."

"Will I see you for lunch?" He joined her by the door.

"I'll be in Ten Forward before you can say 'Andorian Merlot'!" They both shared a chuckle at her comment, and passed through the door-

-but instead of landing onto the Enterprise bridge, they found themselves in the throne room of a large, Victorian castle. Their attire had also changed; Jean-luc was wearing a ruby-red army jacket with various medals on the right breast, and Beverly was wearing a royal purple dress that squeezed her cheast uncomfortably.

"Where the hell are we?" Beverly grabbed onto his arm and looked around the room in distress. The illusion looked quite real, but Jean-luc knew better than to believe in it.

"Q! Show yourself!" He bellowed. Without warning, music started to play throughout the room and a man dressed in fancy robes with a large multi-coloured hat on his head appeared on one of the thrones.

"Ah! Bonjour, mon Capitain! Or should I say, mon general?" Q laughed loudly and continued to play his lyre.

"Q, why have you brought us here?" Beverly snapped. Turning to face her, Q let out a small smile and knelt in front of her.

"My Queen, I have brought you here to thank your wonderful captain for letting me play with you and the rest of his crew. I learned a lot about you pitiful humans and your odd culture. Strange creatures you are." He then took her hand and kissed it, making Jean-luc turn green with jealousy. Q stood up abruptly and grimaced, his face twisting into a disgusted frown. "Oh, ew. Your hands taste horrible. You should never kiss a sugeon's hands. Take that into consideration, Jean-luc dear."

"But why us?" Jean-luc cut in. "You could have chosen anyone. Even the whole crew!" Q stood up and turned back to him, a sly smile painting his face.

"Au contraire, Jean-luc. Some things are best left unanswered." And with a snap of his fingers, he was gone.

-+ c/\כ +-

"Damn him!" Jean-luc exclaimed, pacing back and forth in the throne room. He was extremely frustrated, and wasn't afraid of showing it. Q had been nothing but a childish nuisance for them, and he wasn't about to deal with him again. "Why can't he just leave us alone?"

As any woman would,Beverlytried to look on the bright side. Even if she was also angered by Q's sudden reappearance.

"Oh, he's not all bad. Didn't he get you a date with that one woman?"

"Yes, while you all ran around looking like a circus performer just vomited all over you." At least he laughed a little along with her. She took a seat on one of the thrones as he began to pace furiously again.

"I just don't think I can deal with him after our last run in. He hurt me so badly, and now he's back! He's caused us enough grief. Why can't he just learn from his actions and go bother someone else!"

"I know, Jean-luc." Her voice was compassionate, as she stood up and put a hand on his shoulder in friendship. "But moping around won't solve anything. Why don't we go look around the castle?" He released the tension in his shoulders under her soft touch. Her soothing side always calmed him down, her voice sounding like sweet syrup.

"Your right, Beverly. Let see if Q used his powers to their full potential."


	2. The Arietta of Riker

Commander William T. Riker was furious. Why wasn't he here yet? Captain Picard always made it for his shift at 0800. It wasn't normal for him to be late.

"Maybe he is doing something elsewhere this morning." Councillor Deanna Troi suggested, staring at her partner with deep, concerning eyes. She could feel that he was anxious, worried, and just a little bit frightened.

"No. If that was the case he would have told me in advance." Will pointed out.

Deanna couldn't do anything for him. But she did know something that could. Rising from her chair, she padded over to the far console at the end of the bridge. She politely asked the ensign there to move aside and called Will over.

"Perhaps the computer will tell us the answer we seek." He nodded in agreement. Taking a step closer to the console, he stated his request.

"Computer, locate Captain Picard." The console buzzed, processing his words.

"_Unable to comply. Captain Picard is not currently aboard the Enterprise." _It responded. Will bashed his fist onto the console, cursing under his breath in an indescribable anger. Ignoring the comforting messages from Deanna, he stamped over to the captain's chair and fell into it with a huff.

"Dammit, where the hell is he?" Crewmembers working on the bridge turned their heads to look at him in alarm, including Lieutenant Worf who was working at the conn.

"Should I sound yellow alert, sir?" He asked, his demeanour strong and professional. Will shook his head.

"Not yet, Worf. There's that chance that it's a slight computer malfunction. I'll contact Geordi-" He was interrupted by a very worried and frantic Nurse Ogawa who had just burst out of the turbo lift and almost stumbled into a startled crewman.

"Commander Riker!" Her breath was shortened into exhausted puffs. "Doctor Crusher, she- she's gone! She didn't report for her shift this morning! The computer, it said she wasn't anywhere on the ship!"

Deanna went over to the woman and tried to calm her down. With all thoughts that it was only a malfunction aside, Will stood up and turned to the conn.

"Mr. Worf."

"Yes sir." Just as he went to input the command into his console, there was a flash of bright light and he was stopped in his tracks. Frozen in time, it seemed. A familiar man dressed in admiral's clothes walked out from the light and over to Worf.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You should know better than that." He scolded, wagging his finger in a sort of taunt. As he walked closer to Will, he snapped his fingers and Worf was returned to normal. Will crossed his arms and straightened his posture so he was as tall as the man in front of him.

"Long time no see, _Q_." Will greeted him coldly.

"I know!" Q replied. He stepped around him and sat down in the captain's chair. "Did you know that it's been almost 7 months since I saw you last? Much too long to go without a visit, don't you think?"

"I suggest you return Captain Picard and Doctor Crusher right now or I'll kick your sorry ass right off this bridge!"

"You know you can't do that. It's impossible. And why should I give your Doctor and Captain back? I'm only doing them a favour."

"And what favour is that?" Deanna questioned. Leaving Ogawa, she strode across the bridge to stand behind her partner.

"The favour of love, of course! I've been observing your dear little Jean-luc and Beverly for a while now. My, what a cute couple they make! I just _had_ to take on the task of bringing them together, since they haven't done so already. I bet you they'll be all over each other by tomorrow!" He raised his arm, snapped his fingers, and was gone with another flash of light.

"Well, this is just great!" Will shouted angrily. He turned to the ensign working at the far console. "I want you to keep a constant surveillance on both Captain Picard and Dr. Crusher. Notify me if anything happens!"

"Yes, Sir." The ensign answered timidly.

He began to make his way to the turbo lift doors.

"Where are you going?" Deanna asked. She joined him at the doors and took hold of one of his hands. She felt the anger in him ease, and it was replaced by a calming warmth.

"To the Holodeck. I need time to think." He squeezed her hand. "Would you like to join me?"

"I would love to." They shared a long smile and disappeared behind the doors.

-+ c/\כ +-

The castle was well laid out in their opinion. Past the throne room was a rectangular dining room complete with an old but beautiful kitchen. They also came across a beautiful drawing room, a dance hall, a library, and a closed-off staircase. Up the stairs there was an extremely long hallway with about 20 rooms on either side, but only one was unlocked. The unlocked room was a huge bedroom, complete with a separate bathroom and a huge balcony that overlooked a lush meadow which seemed to span on forever. They didn't find any people though; the castle was completely empty, save for them. Since it was late, they decided to make dinner. Jean-luc made the best use of the old-fashioned stove and cooked them a nice turkey dinner. Beverly even pitched in and made desert, some sugar cookies made from scratch.

"I used to make Wesley these all the time when he was young. He loved them. We sometimes even iced them." She explained to him.

"Well, they're very good. Just enough sweet without making it candy-like." He replied, grabbing for his 5th cookie. He smiled at her. She smiled back, but he could tell something was wrong. It was the way she looked at her wine glass, staring intently at the reddish-purple liquid that swirled around in the curved cup.

"Beverly?" She looked up at him, her eyes clouding with sorrow. She shook her head and smiled, trying to hide it. It was the same look she gave him when she had tried to hide her worry about the possibility of him getting Irumodic Syndrome. He remembered.

"I... I was just thinking... about how much I miss him." She said sorrowfully. He placed his hand over hers and squeezed it.

"Wherever he is, I'm sure he's safe and happy. You shouldn't worry about him."

They spent the rest of the night in the library, putting on a fire and searching the bookshelf for something to read. Jean-luc managed to find one of his favourite Shakespeare novels, while Beverly picked up what looked to be a fairly new Jane Austin book. Well, what else were they supposed to do in a place without escape?

But when they retired to bed, they came across a slight problem. When Jean-luc went to open one of the doors in the hallway, it wouldn't budge. He went to try another door, but it didn't open either.

"Oh right." He finally realized. "All the doors are locked. Looks like we'll have to sleep together." She flushed bright red at his statement.

"I... guess so."

She took off the purple dress and all its layers, leaving only the under dress. After the dress was off, she unpleasantly found out that bras weren't invented in this century. When she came out of the bathroom, hands crossed to shield her chest, Jean-luc was already in bed. He seemed to be waiting for her. His eyes followed her into the huge king-sized bed, but darted away once she crawled under the covers.

"Well, I guess this is goodnight." She said, breaking the awkward silence that had formed between them. She grinned nervously at him, and he smiled back.

"Yes. Goodnight, Beverly." He leaned over to blow out the candle that illuminated the room, giving her a glimpse of his naked torso. She was mesmerised by the sight. She had never seen him with his shirt off, and had never thought of him being that muscular. As the minutes ticked by, she found it impossible to fall asleep. She could feel the heat radiating off his body, and hear the steady chorus of his breathing. It made her float back to the days when Jack was still alive; the times where she had someone beside her every night. Someone who she could rely on for warmth, for comfort. Suddenly, she found it to be very cold. She shivered and wished that she could just snuggle up to him for once, _just once..._


	3. The Symphony of Beverly

Beverly woke up to the sound of knocking at her door. She arose groggily, and turned her head to where Jean-luc was sleeping. She jumped when she found he was gone, the covers placed neatly over the bed like no one had been there. But she calmed down when she heard another nock, assuring herself that he had woke up early to make breakfast and was alerting her that it was ready. Slipping on a satin robe she found in the bathroom, she opened the door.

"Ah! Your highness, it seems that you have slept in. Everyone is waiting for you in the dining hall. Are you ready to join them?" Unfortunately, the person at the door wasn't who she was hoping for. She had answered the door to a stout, older woman dressed in Black robes.

"Where's Jean-luc?" She snapped, her eyes turning to ice. The woman flinched, surprised at her sudden anger. She began to stammer, as if she was nervous that she had done something wrong.

"G-General Picard? Your highness, th-that was just a dream. You will see him tonight, well and fit. P-please do not worry."

Beverly had no choice but to go with the woman, hoping that what she said was true. She thought about the sudden shift of people in the castle. While she and Jean-luc were the only inhabitants the night before, there were now an abundance of people in the castle, scurrying around on their duties as servants to the queen. When she entered the dining hall, a little less than half the chairs were filled with people dressed in clothes equally fancy as the dress she had worn the day before. The woman that had led her in addressed her to the group as they all stood up.

"Her highness, Queen Beverly." She took a seat at the chair nearest to the door, and the group sat down again.

Although there was a bountiful breakfast laid out before her, she barely ate anything. Her thoughts were only of Jean-luc; worrying if he was alright, trying to think where he might be. She nearly dropped her fork when someone spoke to her, an older woman in a green velvet dress.

"Your highness, are you looking forward to the ball tonight?" Before she could answer, a younger woman with red hair interrupted her.

"Oh, I'm sure she's looking forward to it. General Picard will be there! Ooo!"

"And she'll get her first dance with him! Eee!" Another young woman added. Beverly stuffed her mouth with a forkful of eggs, hoping she wouldn't have to speak. Their taunting was as bad as Deanna's; always making her feel uncomfortably embarrassed. Luckily, a man scolded the girls and they became quiet.

After breakfast she was lead upstairs. She was instructed to get into an awaiting bath, and she was scrubbed down by various maids. She felt uncomfortable at first; being fully naked in front of a bunch of women she didn't even know. But after a while she got accustom to it. Surprisingly, the metal bowl that was used for the tub was more comfortable then she thought, and it kept the water warm for the duration of the bath. Afterwards she was dried off, put in another under dress, and was seated into a chair. She was soon joined by three younger women in much blander dresses then the women at the dining hall. They began to do her hair.

"Your Highness, you're so lucky to have a man like General Picard. He's the talk of the town, and all the ladies love him." The eldest woman, Lynette, complimented. "I… suppose." Beverly replied. She wasn't sure what she meant by that, but it did make her flustered.

"Oh, if only I wasn't married..." The middle woman, Liana, sighed. She left the room for a moment and came back with two dangly pearl earrings and a cameo necklace.

"He's just so perfect for you, your highness." The youngest woman, Lara, added. "Smart, caring. And he can quote Shakespeare right from the top of his head! You've been so lonely since your husband died…" Lynette and Lara began to tie her orange locks up in a sophisticated bun, complete with strings of pearls and diamonds woven into her hair. Liana also took the jewellery and laid them on her. The three women paused to look at her in the mirror, admiring their work. Disappearing into her bedroom, they grabbed something out of the closet and came back with a poofy, teal blue dress that had many gold accents to it. Now standing, they wrapped a jacket sort of thing around her waist over the under dress. While Liana and Lara steadied her by holding her arms, Lynette went around to the back of her, grabbed the strings that laced the jacket together, and yanked on them.

"Aaargggh!" Beverly cried out in pain as the jacket was tightened, squeezing her stomach so tight that she thought she could feel her spleen rub against her stomach. She grunted again when it was tightened once more. Lynette tied up the strings and stepped away to let the other two women throw the dress over her head and put it into place. They also stepped back to give her a view of her own self, waiting patiently to find out if she was satisfied with their work. The dress was indescribably beautiful. It cascaded over her cheast, showing off her shoulders. The sleeves were long and flared at the cuffs, and the gold pattern to the dress was extravagant. The earrings and necklace only made her more beautiful. She gasped at her own reflection, surprised at how wonderful she looked.

"Do you like it, your highness?" Lara questioned.

"Remind me to thank Q later." She replied with a smile. The women's expressions changed from glad to puzzled.

"Who, your highness?" Lynette asked, her brow furrowing.

"Oh, no one. Continue please, girls." They nodded and sat her down again. She was forced to keep her back rim-rod straight because of the jacket, much to her discomfort. Immediately after she was seated, the three women disappeared into the bedroom. Moments later, Lynette came back with a small bag. She was going to question where the other two girls went, but she thought about it for a moment and decided that it would be improper if she did. The younger woman kneeled down in front of her, reached into the bag, and took out some different coloured slabs.

"Which colour would you like your highness?"

"Oh, I can do it myself." Well, she wasn't quite sure about that.

"No, no I insist." She sighed and chose the darkest shade. Lynette nodded and rubbed her finger along the slab, and then slid it over her eyelids. She kept doing this until Beverly's eyes were fully coated with the powder that came off of the slabs. Whatever happened to brushes, she wondered. Her eyelashes were coated with a sticky black liquid that seemed like mascara and then was painted with maroon red lipstick. Just as her make-up artist was finishing up with her blush, Lara appeared at the bathroom door.

"I'm sorry your highness, but the only perfume we have is Lavender." Beverly shook her head and said it was fine. A sly smile spread across her face. She knew how much power a simple bottle of _Lavender_ perfume could hold. She winked at the younger girl.

"Give me as much as possible, please."


	4. The Opera of Picard

"_Monsieur_! Monsieur wake up!" Jean-luc awoke to find a young woman beside him, lightly shaking his arm so he would get up.

"Beverly?" He asked sleepily. The woman shook her head and helped him get to his feet. Once he was focussed, he found that he was in a totally different place then when he had fallen asleep. The room was smaller and less extravagant, there was a painting of himself in an army coat holding large gun on the wall, and even the bed had changed. He cursed under his breath and turned to the girl.

"Where the hell am I? And who are you and what have you done with my Beverly?"He strangely liked how those last words sounded. The woman seemed to be confused, shaking her head like he had gone mad.

"Monsieur! You are in your very own house, I am Malina your housekeeper, and Queen Beverly is safe! You will see her at the ball tonight. Unless, you are unfit to go?" Ball? What ball? Everything was messed up. Beverly wasn't there, he was in a totally different place with people he didn't know, and he wasn't sure when or how he was going to get them both out of this. Q was a difficult man, he knew. But yelling at one of his 'creations' (as fake and heartless as he knew they were) was not going to get him anywhere. He'd search for her as soon as he got the chance.

Malina explained that she woke him up because there were visitors at his door, who she described as his 'friends' Eric Scott, Vladimir Petrov, and Edward Johnson. She instructed him to get changed and join her downstairs. He chose a simple brown vest over a white, flared-cuffed, undershirt and matching brown slacks. He walked down the staircase and followed the voices into the drawing room. 3 men who were in their early thirties-mid forties sat on the couch and chairs, wearing the same army jackets that he had worn the day before. They were being served wine by his housekeeper, and were talking to each other about the upcoming ball at this place they called 'Crusher Castle'.

"Aye, he'll get a dance 'er two with the Queen, for sure." A red-haired, Scottish man commented. He was served last, given a glass of scotch instead of wine.

"I can't believe dat our Jean-luc is the queen's man. Ve vill surely be the talk of the town after this, ya?" Another man with darker hair added. He stopped when Jean-luc entered the room.

"Ah! Speak of the devil." Another man with a thick, British accent stood up from the couch he was sitting on and turned to him. He opened his arms and smiled. "Jean-luc!" He acted along, embracing the man in a hug. He just hoped his assumptions were right.

"Edward! It's so good to see you again." The other two men came up to him, just as excited to see him as Edward. He shook the Scottish man's hand and gave the Russian man a pat on the back.

"It's good to see you too Eric, Vladimir."

They seated again and sipped on their drinks, visiting. He guessed that these people were supposedly his army buddies, if he was even in the army at all. He really didn't like these people at all; something that he was sure was Q's fault. Vladimir stretched his E's, Eric kept making repulsive jokes, and all three of them wouldn't drop the idea of his apparent _affair_ with Beverly, who they referred to as a Queen.

"So _Romeo,_" The way that Edward called him tainted his ears. "How long have you two been an item?"

"We are _not_ an item." He retorted back. This caused boastful laughs to emanate from the three other men.

"Oh sure, laddie. If that's true, then I'm King Henry's great-great cousin!" Eric chuckled. He was offered another scotch from Quentin, which he gladly took. The three men had another round of laughs, making him feel embarrassed and frustrated. Luckily for him, Edward changed the subject.

"The good thing about this ball tonight is that there will also be women there for us, too."

"Aye, many, _many _women. I'd fancy for a nice dance with a nice lassie." Vladimir spun to face the older, Scottish man suddenly, his eyes widening.

"But Eric, you are marred!" He spluttered. Eric chuckled at the younger man's misunderstanding.

"Aye, and to a fine lass at that, but that doesn't mean I cannae get a dance 'er two in before the night is up. But you're not married, so ye can dance with as many lassies as ya want!" Vladimir turned bright pink, and everyone laughed. Even Jean-luc. He couldn't help himself.

"So, what did you come here for today?" He jumped in. His friends stood up, and went over to his chair. He stood as well, questioning as to what they were doing.

"Vell," Vladimir began, taking hold on his arm. "Ve know how you are vith women. And for every woman you need a corsage, especially if she is the Queen! So ve are taking you shopping for one, vether you like it or not!" Eric grabbed his other arm while Edward opened the door. They pushed him outside and onto the street outside the house, much to Malina's liking. She giggled, and began to gather up the glasses.

-+ c/\כ +-

The town surrounded a tall castle and was closed in by rolling green hills. Many people ran around on their daily business; carrying buckets of things, driving carts steered by horses, and stopping other townsfolk to try to offer them their merchandise. Jean-luc had never seen such a group of more barbaric people in his life, and found it extremely difficult to maneuver around in the crowd. His friends simply laughed every time he tripped over someone or stopped when a merchant called him to them, teasingly blaming it on his 'nervousness for the upcoming ball'. They finally reached the flower shop, and pushed him inside. A young woman who was sitting at the counter reading a book jumped at his sudden arrival.

"Oh! General Picard!" She smiled and curtsied, and he bowed back. She put her book down and walked to him. "What a surprise! I would have never expected you to ever come into my shop!"

"Well, today must be your lucky day." Jean-luc chuckled. He looked around the shop at all the flowers. He saw many kinds, from light vanilla pansies to bright purple lilacs. A bouquet of light blue roses caught his eye, and he aimlessly strolled over to the shelf they were on to smell them.

"Might I ask what you are looking for, sir?"

"Well, I'm looking for a nice corsage…" He suddenly became embarrassed, and turned a light shade of red. He wasn't even sure if Beverly was even going to be at the ball, wherever that was, and he felt like a young man on prom night worrying if he would impress is date or not.

"Well, it's rumored that Queen Beverly's favorite colour is blue, so those roses-" The woman began to say, but he interrupted her.

"Her favourite colour _is_ blue." He growled, grinding his teeth. Everyone today seemed to think that they were madly in love, and it was getting on his nerves. He was _positive_ now that it was Q's fault.

The woman nodded nervously, and scurried into the back of the shop. She came back with multiple strips of blue fabric, each a different shade of blue.

"Well, this darker shade goes well with the flowers. What size would you like it in?"

"Six will do, thank you." She nodded and told him to wait a moment. She disappeared into the back room again, taking the bouquet of blue roses with her. He waited for a moment, a moment that seemed like forever. He had been unknowingly tapping his foot when she reappeared in the main room. She presented the corsage to him, and he took it happily.

"That will be six pence please, sir." His brow furrowed, confused as to what 'pence' were. He just stood there, much to the woman's surprise. "Pence, sir. You know, like dollars or franks?" Dollars. Right. He fished into his pocket, praying that there would be money there, and counted six coins. He just hoped it was the right amount. The woman took it from him and presented a bag to him in which he placed the corsage. She smiled and patted him on the arm.

"Have fun at the ball tonight, General Picard." She grinned. "And good luck."

-+ c/\כ +-

When he came out of the shop, he was immediately surrounded by his friends.

"So, laddie. Did ye get it?" Eric asked. Jean-luc nodded, and held up the bag as proof. Everyone cheered, and he felt highly proud of himself. He even opened the bag to show everyone his choice.

"Well Jean-luc, you've got yourself quite a find! She'll love it." Edward smiled. His statement made Vladimir frown and cross his arms in a sarcastic disgust.

"Really Edvard? How vould you know? Didn't your bride leave you at the altar?" Jean-luc, Eric and Vladimir broke out into a fit of laughter, much to Edward's disapproval.

"Quiet down, you jackasses. What happened between Quentin and I is none of your business!" He turned to Jean-luc. "Now, we have one more thing to do before the ball."

"What's that?" He questioned. Eric chuckled and slapped him on the back.

"Ha! Ye don't expect us to just let ye go like that, do ya laddie? Ye cannae go out to a ball without lookin' like a true gent!"

"What?"

"Ve are going back to your house to get you into your uniform! Now don't be a Cossack and move!" Vladimir pushed him into the streets, and was swept up by the mass wave of townsfolk.

"Why me!" He wailed. "Why, Q, why?"


	5. The Dance of New Found Love

Beverly was told to sit in her throne like a _formal, mature, royal lady _in the large, heavily decorated room. The throne room could apparently be turned into a dance hall, and was made up tonight to be one. Lights were stringed from the ceiling, waiters and waitresses strode around serving drinks and snacks, and a stage was set up for a small orchestra that was playing an upbeat tune for several people who were line dancing. It annoyed her that she couldn't do anything but watch. She had tried getting up several times, but every time she was forced back down by Lynette and her sisters who had followed her to the ball. And they gave the exact same answer- that she was to remain seated until the right time came along, whenever that was.

As the hours went by and her dress got tighter and tighter, the anxious feeling she felt grew greater than before. The events of the night were unknown to her. Countless people had told her that Jean-luc would be there tonight. She didn't know if she should believe that. She needed to see him. To know that he was alright. To make sure that the man she loved was still alive.

She was also, for some strange reason, nervous about seeing him. That is, if he ever showed up. It was a ball, so she would probably have to dance with him. Would the years of dance lessons she took finally pay off? Or would she make a complete fool of herself in front of the most handsome man in the universe?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the abrupt stop of the music and dancers. Everyone in the room turned their heads towards the door, and independent whispering could be heard throughout the crowd. She craned her neck to see who it was, but tried with no avail. Footsteps sounded and the crowd split to reveal three men in red army coats. The three men moved aside to reveal a fourth man who, to much of her relief, was Jean-luc himself. He grinned at her as he strode towards her, and she found herself smile back. She stood up when he reached the thrones, and he bent down on one knee.

"Ah, your highness. You're looking quite beautiful tonight. May I favour you for a dance?" He took her hand and kissed it, setting her skin on fire. For a moment she had the suspicion that it wasn't the real Jean-luc, perhaps maybe a creation of Q's to deceive her. But when he stood up and pulled his jacket down (a signature move of his), she knew that he wasn't a fake. She played along, letting him lead her to the middle of the floor. He placed one hand in the small of her back and took her hand in the other. He began to spin her around to the beat of the music, their eyes locked onto each other in an unbreakable gaze.

"I was starting to worry that you'd never show up." Beverly spoke over the sound of the music. The Orchestra was so loud that she was certain their conversation would only be heard between the two of them. "You don't know how good it is to see you again."

"The same to you." He replied with a wide smile. He was marvled by her, he had to admit. She looked absolutly stunning in the dress she wore. It sat so low that he could just see the tops of the breasts. It was taunting. And her scent; it was intoxicating, reminding him of the lavender felids just beyond the wineyard back home in france.

"Have you any ideas as to how we get out of this?" She shook her head and answered with a 'no'. He nodded and drew her closer so that she was flush against his body, twisting her as they continued to dance. He enjoyed watching her face change to the sudden shift. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened in surprise, a deep flush spreading over her cheeks. He knew it had to be true. He just didn't know if she wanted it.

After the dance, Jean-luc led Beverly out into the courtyard so they had time to think about ways to get out of the situation they were in. They made their way to the edge a billowing fountain that was illuminated by the beautiful night sky above. And as they sat close together on the edge and looked up at the stars, the need to discuss plans became a much more distant thing.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Beverly commented finally. She yanked off her gold heels to give her aching feet a well-deserved rest.

"Yes, of course." _Not as beautiful as you are, mon petite chou. _He wanted to say.

"Reminds me of my childhood." She continued. "Countless days of falling asleep and waking up with the stars overhead, being able to see every constellation from your backyard... And the best thing about it is that you never get tired from it."

"I've always thought that a night sky had a high romantic factor to it, don't you think?" His hazel eyes locked onto her sparkling blue ones, and she let out a sigh.

"Jean-luc... Yes. Very romantic." They looked back at the sky, and they seemed to be lost in the moment. But when Beverly felt something strange, she blinked back into reality. Jean-luc had been unknowingly rubbing small circles on her back with his left hand, and she jerked forward in surprise when she realized it.

"Sorry." He snapped his arm back, a deep flush traveling from his shoulders all the way to the top of his head. They both looked away, much too embarrassed to look the other head-on. The two shared a long, awkward silence before Beverly jumped up without warning, her face suddenly masked with annoyance.

"I know what Q wants!"

"What is it?" He questioned.

"He's trying to set us up together!"

-+ c/\כ +-

His heart sank when he heard the anger in her voice. He just couldn't believe it. He had assumed that she had the same feelings for him that he did for her. The meals they had together, friendly chats over drinks, they way she looked at him sometimes when she thought that he wouldn't notice. All had leaded him to thinking that she was in love with him. So why was she so worked up over this?

"Beverly," He began, his voice barely a whisper. "You know how I feel. So why do you push it away?"

Her eyes softened once she realized how disappointed he sounded. She sat down again, and took his hands in hers. She looked at him lovingly through calming, blue orbs.

"Oh Jean-luc... I regret what I said back then. I was just afraid that if we started anything and something went wrong, it would destroy the great friendship we already had, and I didn't want that to happen. And I suppose I... still feel the same way."

He lifted up a hand to brush a strand of hair that had fallen astray. She shivered at his touch.

"_Ma chère_, I would never stop loving you, let alone do anything to harm something we shared."

They looked deeply into each other's eyes, and slowly moved closer together so that their lips were touching. Soon, Beverly slowly closed her eyes and opened her mouth in submission. Jean-luc leaned over her slightly and slipped his tongue into her mouth. They kissed passionately, their tongues dancing with vigour.

It wasn't until Jean-luc heard voices coming from the dance hall that he ended the kiss. He looked up to see a group of people standing in front of the large glass windows of the dance hall, watching them. He turned to his partner and smiled.

"Perhaps it would be more appropriate if we continued this upstairs..."

She beamed back and he moved away so that she could get up off the fountain. Hand in hand, they went back inside the dance hall. Things had picked up as if no one had been at the windows, but everyone still had their eyes locked on them. On the way to the doors, they passed Jean-luc's three friends and Beverly's three attendants. Oddly enough, they were all dance partners. Beverly winked at them as she passed, and Jean-luc gave his men a thumbs-up.

As soon as they were beyond the doors, he swept her up in his arms and carried her up the winding staircase. They were laughing hysterically and weren't quite sure why, but it sure felt good. Half way up the stairs, they rushed past the old woman Beverly had first encountered. She was so surprised that she dropped the basket of towels she was carrying.

"Young love." She mumbled.

He set her down when they entered her room, and locked the door behind them. Pushing her against the wall he forced his lips against hers again, but this time he was more demanding. She moaned into his mouth and found herself tugging at the collar of his jacket. Stepping back, he took off the jacket and the white undershirt he was wearing underneath. She grinned and ran her fingers down his bare back. He breathed inward slightly and smiled back.

"God, you make me melt with that exquisite smile of yours."

"Well I suppose you'll be pure liquid by the end of tonight then, won't you?" He laughed along with her, burying his face in her orange locks and breathing in her sweet scent. Bending down, he pulled the dress over her head and then slowly untied the brace around her waist.

"You don't know how long I've waited for this, Beverly. I love you. And I want you to never forget that."

"Oh believe me Jean-luc, I won't. Not for a second." He saw the mischievous sparkle to her eyes through the dim light of the room. Kissing him again, she tore off the under dress and backed him into the bed.

Beverly didn't know for sure if she was going to regret anything in the morning. But she sure wasn't going to waste any time thinking about it.

**Author's Note: Well, here's the long awaited Ball chapter! The story takes a slight turn here and changes rating from K+ to T. I'm sure you won't mind. And I know it might not be what you all wished for, but I don't want to push it over T. Enjoy! Last chapter still to come! Stay tuned...**


	6. The Song of Lovers

"_Riker to Picard! Picard, please respond!"_

Jean-luc was rudely awakened by the voice coming from his commbadge. Still half-asleep, he slowly arose from his bed and tapped the badge that was sitting on his nightstand.

"Picard here." He grumbled. He hated when he had to get up early.

"_Thank god! We were starting to worry about you."_ It was Will Riker who had contacted him. His voice was unusually tainted with worry, which was strange for- Wait. He finally remembered. He looked around the room, and the events of the previous nights floated back to him. Glancing beside him, he could just make out the sleeping form of his lover through the dim light of his quarters. He watched her shoulders rise and fall for a moment before answering. They were back on the _Enterprise_ at last.

"You were? My, I'm so flattered." His sarcastic tone made Will laugh. He then continued by asking,

"_What the hell happened?"_

"What happened? Uh, that's kind of a long story. Why don't I tell you later?"

"_Alright. Is Doctor Crusher with you? We still can't read her-"_

"Yes, yes she is." The smile in his voice could be heard clearly through the comm. system, making Will very suspicious as to why his tone changed so suddenly.

"_Um... Alright. It's good to have you back sir. Riker out."_

Jean-luc heard a groan beside him and watched as Beverly rose up from the bed. As he observed the bed sheets wrap around her naked body, the thought of having to go back to work was soon washed away and replaced by arousal. She turned her head to look at him, her eyes pale with early-morning fatigue.

"Was that Will?" She questioned groggily. He nodded and smirked at her. Taking a second to look around, she recognised the familiar look of his quarters. She jolted awake almost immediately and gasped in surprise. Grabbing his shoulders, her mouth parted into an excited grin. "We're back on the Enterprise!

"I know. I suppose we fulfilled enough of Q's desires that he decided we'd suffered enough and he sent us back." He replied with a chuckle. Pulling her closer, he nuzzled his face into her neck. She moaned when he kissed the sensitive spot below her chin. Neither of them cared about their duties now.

"This is what he wanted, after all... Oh..." She sighed as his hands moved up towards her breasts. His kisses trailed along her jaw line before ending at her lips, but he pulled back when he felt her body tense.

"You don't regret last night, do you?"

"Of course not!" She lifted her arms and cupped his face with both hands. She then looked deeply into his eyes as if to reassure him. The same sparkle he had seen the night before gradually returned to her blue orbs as she looked at him. "Last night was incredible. And no matter what's in store for us, I'm ready to face it. I'm not afraid anymore, Jean-luc." She brought him in for a heated, passionate kiss. His hands dropped from her waist to her hips and she began to stroke his cheek.

"I love you." She whispered. Three words weren't even enough to describe how she felt. But it would have to do for now.

"And I love you." He whispered back. All he ever wanted was to tell her that. And now he would, over and over again until she was sick of it.

They dived into another kiss, but she ended it soon after it started.

"Let me go freshen up and then I'll be right back, ok?" She told him. He nodded back and kissed her forehead tenderly.

"Hurry back." He winked at her, and she beamed back.

He tried to memorize her shape as she walked to the bathroom. He could see now why Jack had fallen in love with her, and why he himself did as well. Long legs that seemed to have no end, luscious hips that swayed deviously as she walked, hair that flowed like red-hot flames, all made her so intoxicating that she shouldn't be allowed in public. Of course, he was viewing her naked, so things were different than if she was in uniform.

"You still owe me that lunch in Ten Forward." He called. She came back out of the bathroom and leaned on the frame of the door, her body splayed out rather seductively. She smiled slyly and let out a giggle.

"Do _I_ owe you lunch? Or is it you now that owes _me_ lunch?"

He laughed back and looked her over one last time before she retreated into his bathroom for good.

He thought about all that had happened in the past few days. Sure, it had been quite the wild ride. But in the end, the only thing left was to thank Q for what he did for them, it seemed.

"Surprised that the bastard even has a heart." Jean-luc muttered under his breath. Rising up from the bed, he made it over to his closet and grabbed his uniform off of the hanger. He just hoped Q would never bother anyone again; that he had his fill of games and would go back to wherever the hell he came from.

"Oh I have a heart, my dear Jean-luc. It's just much different than yours."

He spun around to see Q sitting on his bed, fully clothed in a Starfleet admiral's uniform. He was just glad he had time to put his pants on, or he would have been pretty embarrassed.

"Q! What do you want now?" He asked sharply. Q let out a bellowing laugh and crossed his legs, placing his hands on his knees and leaning in closer to him.

"All I want is for you to _say_ it straight to my face. Then I promise I'll leave you and your little crew alone." He answered, not even a slight lie evident in his voice. Or at least, Jean-luc hoped there wasn't.

Beverly was his now. And he knew it was all because of him. He had to admit, he had never been happier. He felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and that he was finally free of whatever that weight had carried. Q had given him what he could never give himself. Letting out a long sigh, Jean-luc kneeled in front of him and looked Q straight in the eyes.

"Thank you for... doing all this. I would have never gotten Beverly if you hadn't put us in that situation, Q. Thank you."

"Ha! That's what I like to hear, Jean-luc. You are _very_ welcome." Q patted him on the shoulder and stood up. He then turned his attention to the bathroom door, cupping his ear as if he was listening to something.

"Ah. Looks like the missus is done her shower. I should be going now." He skipped over to the arch leading out of his bedroom area and raised his arm. "Goodbye, Jean-luc. And good luck."

And with a snap of his fingers, he was gone.

-+ c/\כ +-

He stared at the spot where Q once stood until a clanging sound from his closet stole his attention. He rose up from the floor and padded over to the rectangular storage unit. Pressing the button on the outer panel, the door slid aside to reveal a newly-placed Starfleet medical division uniform still swinging on the hanger. Underneath it was a pair of women's black boots, three gold pips, a commbadge, and two brown hairclips. Jean-luc smiled and carefully took the uniform off the hanger. Spotting a strand of fallen hair, he plucked the red lock off and tossed it aside. He then held it in his hands like it was fragile and raised it to his nose. It even smelled like her; a mixture of honey, sharp spices, and a intoxicating scent that was just... her.

"Jean-luc?" Beverly had been standing behind him. He was startled by her voice, flinching and then turning rather red at her finding him smelling her uniform. He faced her and saw that she had borrowed a robe of his. "Oh! My uniform! Q gave it back did he? I was afraid that I'd have to walk the halls in only a robe. Imagine the looks I'd get!" She giggled and took it from him gracefully.

"Your commbadge and boots are here too." He told her blatantly.

"Was he nice enough to give me my underwear as well?"

His lips parted into a sly smile as he held up her cotton bra from one of its straps. She lunged to grab it, but he held it up just out of reach. She scowled mockingly at him as he leaned in close and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Oh no, Beverly. I plan to keep this for myself."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, that's it! Thanks for all the great reviews, guys. I really appreciate it!**


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